The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-02-04
THE RED ACORN.
BY JOHN M'ELRoY,
Author Of "Andersomville," Eta
Copyrighted by National Tribune Publishing Co.,
and published by arrangement with them.l

Copyrighted by National Tribune Publishing Co.
and published by arrangement with them.l
Fortner looked wistfully at the bottom Of
his emptied bowl. Aunt Debby took 1t away
and speedily returned with it filed She came
back with an air of eager expectancy that
Fortner would continue his narrative. But
unsatstied hunger still dominated him, and
he had thoughts and mouth only for food,
She sat down and resumed her knitting with
an apparent effort at composing herself.
For full minute the needles clicked indus
triously. Then they stopped; the long, slen
der fingers clenched themselves about the ball
of yarn; she faced Fortner, her eyes shining
with less brilliant but intenser light.
Jim Fortner," she said with low measured
distinctness, "why don't We go on! Is thar
somethin' thct ye're Altered to tell me! What
hez happened ter our folks! Don't finch from
tellin' me the wust. I'm alters willin' ter bow
ter tho will O. the Lord without murmur.
Only let me know what hit is"
"Why, Aunt Debby, thar hain't been
nothin' happened ter EN-" said Fortner,
deeply surprised. "Thar amt nothin' to tell
we bout en-. They're all safe. They're in
Kunnel Garrards rijiment, ez We know, an
hit fit behind breastworks, an didn't lose no
body, ska'cely-leastwise none of our kim"
She rose quickly from her chair. The ball
of yarn fell from her lap and rolled unheeded
toward the glowing Goals under the forelog.
With arms outstretched, hands clasped, and
eyes directed upward in fervent appeal, there
was much to recall that Deborah from whom
she took her name-that prophecies and
priestess who, standing under the waving
palm trees of BaalTamar, inspired her coun-
trymen to 60 forth and overthrow and destroy
their Canaanitish oppressors.
80 God!" she said, in low, thrilling tones,
"Thoust aforetimes gin me much ter be
thankful fur, as well ez much ter dumbly
bar when Thy rod smote me fur reasons tibet
l couldn't understand. Thou knows how
gladly rd've gin not only my pore, nigh
spent life, but also those O my kinsmen,
which prize much higher, fur sech a vict'ry
ez this over the inimies of Thee an Thy peo-
ple But Thou'st gin hit free ez Thy marcy,
without akin blood sacrifice from any ON us.
kin only praise Thee an Thy goodness all
my days"
Fortner rose and listened with bowed head
while she spoke. When she finished he
snatched up the ball of shriveling yarn and
quenched its smoking with his hand. Look
ing fixedly at this he said softly: "Aunt
Debby. honey, hain't tole We all yit."
mo, jim"
"No," said he, slowly winding up the yarn;
carter the fouten wuZ thru with at the Gap
slipt down the mounting, an come in on the
r'ar Nv these fellers an me an this ere man
drapt two on EN-"
81 kinder spected We would do something
Nv tibet sort"
"Then we TUX short cut an overtuk 'em
agin, an we drapt another"
Aunt Debbys eyes expressed surprise at
this continued good fortune.
can then we TUX 'nuther short cut, an
saved 'nuther one"
Aunt Debby waited for him to continue.
"At last-jess ez they come ter the ford-I
seed cur man."
'Seed kunnel Bill Pennington?" The great
gray eyes were blazing now
eyes" Fortner's speech was the spiritless
drawl of the mountains, and it had now be-
come so languid that it seemed doubtful if,
after the cnunciation of each word, whether
vitality enough remained to evolve success
sor eyes" he repeated with o yawn, as he
stuck the ball of yarn upon the NEEDLES and
gave the whole a toss which landed it in the
wall basket. AN got him. tew."
20, just God! Air We shore?'
"Jess ez shore ez in the last great day thar'll
he some 'un settin' in Judgment atween him
an me- wanted him ter be jess ez shore
about me. came out in plain sight, and
drawed his attention. He knowed me at the
fust glimpse, and pulled his revolver Xiv
cred his heart with the sights an tetcht the
trigger. I'm sorry now tibet 1 didn't shoot
him thru the belly, SO tibet he'd been week
a-dyin' an every minnit he'd remember what
he wuz killed fur. But wuz so Altered tibet
l would not kill him eff hit him some place
else'n the heart-thets a way all pizen var
minis hev-thet didn't da'r risk hit. wuz
determined ter git him, too, eff had ter fol-
Ter him clean ter Cumberland Gap"
aye done Gods vengeance" said Aunt
Debby stcrnly. can yit hit wuz very soon
ter expect hit" She clasped her hands upon
her forehead and rocked back and forth, gaz.
ing fxedly into the mass of incandescent
Goals.
"Hit's gwine to clair up ter-morrow," said
Fortner, returning from an inspection of the
sky at the door. "Lets potter off ter bed"
he continued, rousing Harry. They removed
their outer garments and crawled into one Of
the comfortable beds in the room.
Later in the night sharp pain in one Of
Harry's overstrained legs awoke him out of